“I did.” No point in denying it. “I hadn’t had any contact with Ian since the day he’d left. I got home from work one morning and found my son wasn’t in bed. He’d always been reliable.”
“You left a child home alone?” Abby was aghast.
This time a ghost of a smile crossed Cerena’s lips. “Nix is fifteen going on fifty. A neighbor used to watch him when he was younger. She still lives across the hall. He knows to go to her if he needs anything.”
“But the boy was gone?” Vaden interjected.
“Yes.” She could still remember the bone-deep fear that had threatened to strangle her. That had been followed by an all-encompassing anger. “While I was at work, Ian had gone to our home and introduced himself. I’d never told Nix much about his father, but he’d always been curious.”
“He’s at the age where he’d want to know,” Flynn pointed out. “He’s not a kid but not quite a man.”
She dragged her fingers through her hair. “I know. Believe me, raising a teenager on your own is no picnic. He’s smart and curious. The questions never stop. He might have gone with Ian just to have his questions answered.”
“Wouldn’t he have contacted you?” Abby asked.
“Knowing Ian, he put that off until he had Nix away from home and any possible help. I contacted the authorities and the few friends we had. No one had seen him. I got a call a few hours later.” She’d been furious enough that if Ian had been near to her, she’d likely have killed him.
“Ian told me that if I told anyone about him, he’d kill Nix.”
“You believe him?” Vaden seemed skeptical. “That he’d kill his own son?”
“A son he never claimed or acknowledged,” Cerena reminded him. “Ian Reader is a user. I learned that the hard way. Nix is alive as long as he’s useful. I’m honestly not sure what he’ll do to Nix if I fail in the task. For some reason, he has it out for Flynn and the entire family. He ranted at length about you destroying his plans. Whatever they were, I don’t know or care. I just want my son back.”
“That’s it? That’s everything?” Flynn asked. He’d been mostly a quiet presence beside her during this entire conversation. At some point he’d moved so close their sides were brushing against each other.
“That’s all.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before facing them all again. “As I told Flynn, I don’t care what happens to me as long as Nix is safe.”
Abby frowned, her anger seemingly gone, at least for the time being. Vaden was more contained. Cerena had no idea what he was thinking.
“Sit down before you fall down.” Flynn took her by the arm and all but shoved her back into the captain’s chair.
“I need to know where Reader is,” Flynn told Vaden. “I’m going after that fucker once and for all. He’d fled the Eden Colony by the time the authorities got there after Freeman was dead. Everyone in the Alliance galaxies is searching for him, but he’s eluded them so far. I’m done waiting for their justice. He’s a threat to my family, so he has to die.”
“Agreed.” Vaden was working on a handheld computer. “I won’t have Abby at risk. By sending someone after you, he’s earned a visit from one of our assassins.”
Cerena sucked in a breath. She’d heard about Gravasian assassins. It was said they were the best in the universe. Everyone was scared of them, even the most hardened criminals. They were the monsters in the closet, the one you never saw until it was too late.
Vaden glanced at her, his gaze once again filled with deadly intent. “By law, Cerena Phelps should die. She attacked a member of my family.”
Just who was this guy? Cerena tried to remain calm, but it wasn’t easy, not with that threat hanging over her.
“But you’re not going to mention that little detail to anyone, are you?” Flynn’s voice was low and calm and filled with a menace that made her shiver. “As far as anyone else is concerned, she told me what Reader wanted her to do and we came to you. We’re going to forget our little altercation.”
She’d tried to kill him, and this was what he called it? She wasn’t sure if he was crazy or really had balls of titanium. Most likely the latter.
Another man pushed his way in front of Vaden. He might not be as tall, but he was broader. And he had a huge blaster cradled in his arms. The familiar black and white hair meant this was likely one of Flynn’s brothers. He did not look happy.
“Where are you?” the newcomer demanded.
A short, dark-haired woman edged into the picture and grabbed him by the arm. “Calm down, Garth. Ian isn’t around for you to shoot.”
When Garth looked at the woman, his entire face changed, softening. Cerena was finding it fascinating watching them all and how they interacted with one another.
“He tried to kill us.” Garth brushed a hand over her cheek, while keeping his blaster at the ready. “He tried to hurt you, Lacey. I should have found a way to kill him already.”
Cerena seconded that thought. If Ian had already been dead none of this would have happened.
“Can we get the fuck back on topic?” Flynn stood with his legs parted and his arms crossed over his chest. He looked invincible. “Where the fuck is Reader hiding? I need to rescue the kid and kill Reader.”
“We need to rescue Nix and kill Ian.” No way was she being left behind.
Flynn grinned at her. “I stand corrected.”
“I’ll contact you as soon as I have the information,” Vaden assured them.
“We’re coming to you,” Garth insisted.
“I can handle Reader,” Flynn insisted. “I’ve got the full force of the Abigail.”
“You also have a woman who already tried to kill you once,” Abby reminded him.
“What?” Garth demanded.
“She’ll fill you in,” Flynn told his brother. “You all stay where you are. You have women to protect. We’ll be fine.” He ended the communication before anyone else could launch a complaint.
Cerena released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. His family was impressive. She had no idea who Vaden was, but he seemed to have some major clout in Gravasian society. “Do you think Vaden will send an assassin after me?” She wasn’t really worried. She honestly didn’t have any room left to be concerned about anything beyond Nix. That came first. After he was safe, she’d deal with whatever else came her way.
The same way she always had.
“Not if he knows what’s fucking good for him.” Flynn pulled her against him. “No one is going to fucking kill you.”
“You’re swearing again,” she pointed out as she pushed out of the chair. She was too restless to remain seated. She needed to move, needed to do something, anything.
“So fucking what? I’m fucking upset.”
“I can see that.” Seeing him get riled on her behalf made her insides warm.
She brushed her fingers across his hard, stubbled jaw. He hadn’t shaved in several days from the look and feel of it. “You need to relax.”
He gave a curt nod. “You’re right.” He leaned down and kissed her.
****
Flynn was equal parts angry, frustrated, and horny. A volatile combination. He hated having to rely on anyone outside his family. Although, technically, Vaden was family. He was still trying to come to grips with that.
Cerena stiffened in his arms, but when he started to ease away, she wrapped her hand around the back of his head and held him close.
For five seconds. Then she slapped both hands on his chest and shoved him back. “What are we doing?” she demanded. He loved the way her eyes snapped when she was angry.
“If you have to ask, I’m doing it wrong.” He tried to bring her back, but she kept him at arm’s length.
“You want to have sex? Now?” Her face was flushed, her lips full and ripe for the taking.
“What’s wrong with now? We have to wait for information. You told me I should relax.” When she rolled her eyes at him, he took advantage and dragged her closer until
their bodies were touching. “Sex with you will relax me.”
“I tried to kill you,” she all but shouted.
He couldn’t help himself; he grinned. Her lips thinned, and her entire body all but vibrated against him.
“You think that’s funny?” she demanded.
“Little bit.”
“You are out of your mind. You know that, don’t you?”
“You act like you’re the first woman who’s tried to kill me.” She felt so damn good against him. He liked arguing with her almost as much as he liked having sex. She was strong-willed and determined, wouldn’t be intimidated by him. That was sexy as hell.
“Why am I not surprised to hear that?”
“Do you want to kill me?” He couldn’t help but be curious.
“I never wanted to kill you in the first place.” She stopped trying to get away from him and sighed. “It might not have been anyone’s idea of success, but I was content with my work and life. I wanted better for Nix.”
Her life had been tough, but she’d handled it. And she’d done it alone. “I’m sorry your son is missing.”
She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his chest. “Thank you.”
“But I’m not sorry I met you.” If it hadn’t been for Reader, he might have gone his entire life without knowing Cerena Phelps. And that would have been a crime.
“I must be as crazy as you. Because I’m not sorry I met you.” She licked her lips, drawing his attention. His cock was hard, which seemed to be the normal state of things whenever she was around. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get enough of her. “I am sorry I tried to knife you and then blow us both up. Was there much damage?” Her voice was low and quavered slightly, not firm and steady like it usually was.
“One room was blown to bits.” He narrowed his gaze. “You owe me.”
Her dark brows lowered. She was pissed at him again. “You’ll have to get payment from Ian. I don’t have enough money to cover it.”
Flynn lifted her right off her feet and tossed her over his right shoulder. “We’ll figure something out.”
“Put me down,” she demanded.
“No.” His room was close to the control center, but it seemed like miles away. The cleaning bots had finished clearing the debris from the hallway. There was some minor damage to the walls, but all in all, it was confined to one area, which was behind a door. He could live with that.
“What do you mean no?” When she struggled, he smacked one ass cheek and then fondled her full ass. He could tell she was struggling to decide what her best course of action would be. He could have told her to stop wasting her time. He wasn’t about to be shifted off course.
“No.”
“Flynn, I’m not having sex with you to pay off a debt.”
He walked into his room and dumped her onto his bed. “You’re fucking right you’re not.”
She wasn’t sprawled on her back for long, already pushing upright. At his words, she frowned. “Then why are we here?”
He knelt beside her and reached for the opening of her vest. “Because I want you, and you want me. It’s got nothing to do with Reader and what he forced you to do. This is between us.”
He waited, his fingers on the fasteners, just itching to open them. She blinked several times. “Is it really that easy for you?”
“What?” he asked. It was getting harder to concentrate. His balls were trying to crawl into his body, and his dick was demanding to get inside her wet heat. He knew she wanted him but was fighting it. Why did women always want to talk things to death?
“Forgetting that I almost killed you.”
He pressed a hard kiss against her lips and moaned when his cock seemed to swell even more.
“You never really came close.”
Her brows snapped down again, and her lips thinned. “I did so come close.”
Flynn chuckled. “Whatever you need to believe.” He started a silent countdown in his head, waiting for the explosion.
“You sorry son of a bitch.” She launched herself at him. Instead of trying to overpower him, which wasn’t happening, she hooked one leg behind his knees and yanked. He fell forward but was ready when she attacked. The bed was small, so grappling was up close and intense.
She was strong for a woman, but no match for him. Still, she was sneaky, he’d give her that. Fought dirty, too. He respected that, at least until her teeth sank into his neck.
“Ouch. Fuck, that hurts.”
“Poor baby.” She started to roll away, but he caught her and dragged her back under him. He stretched out over her, using his greater weight and size to pin her.
She was holding back. He’d been in enough fights to know when someone was pulling their punches.
“Settle down. You’re already bruised from earlier. You’re bleeding again, too.” She was so strong and sure that he’d forgotten for a bit that she’d been through an explosion a short while ago. “Shit, I should see to those wounds.”
She stared up at him and tilted her head to one side as though trying to figure out what he’d just said. Maybe she had a concussion. He’d let his need for her overpower his common sense.
“You mean that, don’t you?”
Flynn started to get off her, but she linked her arms around his neck, stopping him. “Don’t say what I don’t mean.” He never saw the point.
“I’m beginning to believe that.” There was almost a childlike wonder in her tone that made him uncomfortable.
He cleared his throat. “I’ve got a basic aid kit in the bathing chamber. I’ll get it.”
She locked her legs around his waist, holding him in place. Sure, he could move, but he honestly didn’t want to.
“What now?” he asked. Whatever happened next was up to her.
“Now this.” She dragged his head down and kissed him.
Chapter Seven
Flynn was a remarkable man. He truly seemed to have gotten past the fact she’d tried to kill him. As far as he was concerned, it was a done deal and behind them. She’d never met anyone like him. He lived life in the moment, not allowing the past to color things.
She envied him.
She still might die. Her son was out there somewhere, and nothing would stop her from finding him.
Then there was Flynn’s family. He might have forgiven her, but she doubted they would. They’d be coming for her. She just had to make sure Nix was free and clear before they found her.
All she could do now was wait on information. She wasn’t good at waiting, so she had two choices. She could work out to get rid of excess energy, or she could find another way to expend it.
Right now, she wanted the comfort to be found in Flynn’s arms.
He tasted warm and spicy. Masculine. There was something about him that was larger than life, and it was more than his size. He had a presence that exuded power. Men would be wary of him; women would be attracted.
Their tongues stroked, and she lost herself more and more in the overpowering heat of him. When he pulled away, she felt colder, more alone.
“Hold that thought,” he told her. He was off the bed in a flash and returned moments later with a small box. “Aid kit.” He shook it in the air. “There should be something in here.” He sat beside her and opened the box. “Your wounds don’t look deep.”
“They’re only scratches, Flynn.” She’d gotten worse breaking up bar fights.
Ignoring her, he opened a packet and removed a medicinal wipe. “This is going to sting,” he warned before dragging it over the first bloody scratch. She hissed out a breath and then clamped her teeth together. It hurt like a son of a bitch.
He tried to be gentle, but he was a bit too enthusiastic with the cleaning and several of the cuts began to seep blood again.
“Fuck, I’m making it worse.” He dropped the bloody pad and stared at his hands, one human, the other machine.
“You’re doing a great job.” She couldn’t remember a time when anyone had taken care of her, cleaned h
er up after a brawl. She’d always managed on her own. Not even Nix had helped her, mostly because she’d always hidden her injuries from him.
Her chest began to constrict, making it harder to draw air into her lungs. Her eyes filled with tears. She wouldn’t cry. Tears solved nothing. But her eyes continued to sting.
Flynn removed a clotting stick from the kit and ran it over her wounds. It worked well on smaller cuts, sealing them instantly. “Should I bandage them?” he asked.
“No, they’re fine.” Her voice sounded hoarse. In spite of her best efforts, one lone tear rolled down her cheek.
Flynn groaned and tossed the medical supplies onto the small bedside table. “Don’t cry.” He leaned in and licked the salty drop from her cheek.
Something inside her broke. It was the stupidest thing she’d ever done, and considering she’d fallen prey to Ian Reader and had a kid at seventeen, that was saying something. But she was falling in love with Flynn Marks, the man she’d been sent to kill.
It made no logical sense. She barely knew him, had no idea what kind of food he enjoyed, what he did for entertainment, what his hopes and dreams were. She knew he was loyal to a fault, that family was everything. He was quick to think and act in a crisis. He was strong and used that to protect those he cared about. He was a considerate lover and a caring person.
After all she’d done, he was helping her to find her son.
He kissed his way to her lips. “Stop it,” he ordered. “I can’t handle tears.”
That decree, filled with male desperation, made her laugh. It was a small one, but the sadness retreated somewhat. They’d find Nix and save him. In the meantime, Flynn was here, and they were alone. It might be their last opportunity to be together.
She ran her hands over his wide chest, hating the heavy material between her palms and his skin. This time there was an edge of desperation to their kiss, as though they both understood the clock was ticking down on their time together.
He had obligations to his family. She had her son. There was so much between them that couldn’t be forgotten or undone.
Flynn's Assassin (Marks Mercenaries Book 5) Page 6
